Justice for April Jones

No fun in the sun here

Yesterday the wretch that is Mark Bridger was given a whole life sentence for the murder of 5 year old April Jones. He will die in prison. And you know what? Dai Jakes is satisfied with that result. Long time readers of this blog will know by now that it is a supporter of the hangman and scaffold but for once there is relief that death will be a very long time coming (providing the Scum That Is Bridger doesn't hit upon some razor blades and a death wish.)
To begin with, he will be a Category A prisoner stuck in a prison within a prison with up to seven others on his disgusting kind. Single cage, monitored 24/7. Just one hour exercise, five days a week, clothes taken off him every evening, meals eaten in a cage after coming all the way from a kitchen (so you can imagine what they will be like when he receives them.) And certainly nobody will want to talk to the Scum That Is Bridger. He will forever be within a shout of the general population shouting out what they will do to him when they get him and chances are someone WILL get to him (they did Huntley and Whiting.) He will never be safe, never be able to trust anyone, never have a friend and best of all the Scum That Is Bridger will live in fear always until the end of his days. One way or another he will suffer every minute of ever day for this vile crime.

Compared to all of this, death would be so very easy.

Rest in peace April fach, justice has been done. Hedd, perfaith hedd x

No Sickness Please, We're British

I could have used the title of Metallica's debut album for this post, "Kill 'Em All", it would certainly be accurate. Why? Because its about ATOS, the wretched private firm that carries out our Government's work capability assessments. Today we hear the news about 49 year old Linda Wootton, a double heart and lung transplant patient who passed away NINE DAYS after her disability benefits were stopped and shockingly was told to go back to work.
This was a lady who was taking ten prescription drugs a day and suffered from renal failure, high blood pressure and blackouts. Sound fit to you? The wretched ATOS thought so because after an interviewed with them, they ruled against her and she was ordered to find a job. And this isn't the first time this has happened, Google 'Atos fit for work deaths' and you will be faced with multiple tragic stories. Tragedies that could well have been avoided if our Government hadn't decided to unleash a monster on the disabled. These words might sound harsh to some but they are forged out of anger and sadness at seeing my fellow man suffer even more than they already do.
Ladies and Gentlemen of Great Britain, the evidence is crystal clear. Both the wretched ATOS and the Department for Work and Pensions are utterly heartless and only pretend to be sympathetic to their victims. Don't believe it! And whoever makes these decisions for terminally sick people to find work should be put on trial for manslaughter.

To Drummer Lee Rigby

In Loving Memory

This blog will ignore the perpetrators of the truly barbaric murder that occurred on Wednesday. It will not even mention their names, they do not deserve an ounce of attention (sadly our media have given them more than enough but I realise its their job.) Instead this post will remember the victim, 25 year old Drummer Lee Rigby of 2nd Battalion the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers.
Rest easy soldier, tragically cut down way before your time. Your country mourns you and is forever in your debt. One of the most heart breaking tributes I read yesterday was a note left near the spot where he died. It was penned by one of the women who cradled the dying man and read:

"I held you as you died, Im so sorry I couldn't do more for you but you will live with me now for the rest of my life, in my heart Im sorry I couldn't do more and hope you are at peace."

Oh how the tears fell! Imagine the guilt and pain of someone who had no reason to feel guilty of anything? The horror of that situation, a kind soul wanting to give more but was unable because help was beyond the grasp of mortal hands. I still cannot read it without feeling a tear roll down my cheek and as well as sending best wishes to Drummer Rigby and his loved ones, I send the same to those three women who the nation, indeed the world, saw cradling this brave young soldier in his final moments.

Captain Alan Williamson, Adjutant Second Fusiliers said this of his comrade: "Riggers was a cheeky and humorous man, always there with a joke to brighten the mood." And you can clearly see this in the photograph. The sparkle is in his eyes, the 'cheekiness' playing around his mouth as if ready at any moment to crack a joke. One of the good guys, you can tell.

Rest in peace and much respect Drummer Rigby, a nation mourns you.

Human Spirit in Oklahoma

Lethal force

As if we needed a reminder of mother nature's awesome power, she decided we needed a jolt anyway by letting loose one of the strongest tornadoes ever recorded through Moore, a suburb of Oklahoma City in America. At time of writing, 91 people have died, including many children. To touch on the dramatic, like a Great White shark sent by God Himself, it destroyed everything unfortunate enough to stand in its path.
Humans throughout the ages have been the architects and authors of some wonderful inventions and words of wisdom, however we are truly puny when struck against the infinite might of nature. Mortality has its (frail) limits. Luckily for us, we are strong in spirit and Dai Jakes is certain that with the help of the generous and kind, the good people of Moore, Oklahoma will be shown a helping hand in rebuilding lives and homes. Nothing will bring back those who perished of course, and they will be in everyones thoughts and prayers.
I like to think there is a lesson in every tragedy though and the photograph below sums up both the devastation and the humble reality of what occurred in Oklahoma last night. Written on that sign found among the rubble are the words: the most important things in life are not things. Food for thought indeed.


A sign of hope?

A Beetle A Day

Yum, Tasty

The UN Agency have said that 'bugs are the food of the future' and that caterpillars, beetles and wasps could supplement diets as "an environmentally friendly food source." Eva Mueller, director of forest economics at the FAO said, "the main message is really: 'Eat insects'. Insects are abundant and they are a valuable source of protein and minerals."
Well Dai Jakes is way ahead of you Ms Mueller because ive been snacking on bugs for a few years now. Indeed that's me up there in the above picture tucking into salt n' vinegar crickets (bought at Manor House in Tenby.) And you know what? They're very tasty (once you get over the idea of a fistful of creepy crawlies.) Admittedly they are not very filling but then again, neither is a bag of crisps. And don't worry about the 'ick factor', they are dried insects so there is nothing slimy going on. Best I can describe is that it feels like you have sawdust and salt in your mouth. Pop down to Manor House and grab yourself a box, you might surprise yourself!
Of course Eva, the UN and this blog can sing the praises of wasp butties until the earwigs come home, I doubt it will get folk swapping a wonderful pastie from Jenkins bakery in favour of a caterpillar roll. (Probably a good thing too, those Jenkins pasties really are fabulous.)

But thanks to a wonderfully adventurous spirit, Mr Jakes must be years ahead of his time.

A Small Taste of Pot

Sweet leaf?

Ageing stoners can sing the praises of cannabis until the cows come home, even sheep and horses but look at the people it attracts (taken from an article in todays Mail on Sunday):

"I meet an Albanian hash baron, through a British gangster. He warns me in advance that Ivan is ‘a right nutter’ before adding: ‘They are the maddest, baddest people I’ve ever met. Step out of line and they murder you."

So, even if the miserable stuff is safe (which its most certainly not) it still has the lethal potential to create victims purely because of the shady nature of its business and the hoodlums it attracts. And if you make it legal, it will still attract these vicious types because to some it is all they know and they will seek to undercut legitimate sellers. Face it, this is world that contains some very dodgy characters indeed, regardless what harm you think cannabis does or does not do. A place where killing and skullduggery are all too common, and as ive said, this creates innocent victims as well as those who some might say deserve it.
All because a few wretchedly selfish pot smokers want to fry their minds.

*And yes I am a frequent drinker of alcohol but im not so naïve to think its harmless if abused.

To Bethena

I missed your love and kindness,
your soul of souls,
but beauty with its assorted delinquents and trinkets
never fades or wilts,
and 'tho I nest amongst adders in the dawn
I am at the gentle mercy of you always.
Those eyes, that smile,
a face which had all the answers
and hangs forever, a portrait in my chest.
Oh to have known you darling Bethena!
To have held your hand
and walked with you, both poets on fire,
a furious blaze all together smothering the page.

I gaze into your eyes, those chessnut pools
and know what might have been
is happening now in the emerald garden
where your delicate touch is freezing the furies.
Bethena! Gone before your time
but time itself will be your tribute
as those you Love remember you,
and this ode, testament of your inspiration
which reshaped the horizons of a distant hand.
Oh to have known you!
But content am I to know that you live on,
triumphed over crocodiles
and sending Love in butterflies...

©Steven Francis poems 2010

Remembering you today, 12 years on x

Sympathy For The Devil

Tamping mun!

After reading a few myths and legend stories recently, I have come around to wondering whether or not we may have got it wrong about the devil. Don't believe me? Check out the story behind the Devil's Bridge in Ceredigion for example. Local legend has it that 'ol Forked Tail built the bridge since the task was too difficult for mere mortals. So a deal was struck for the devil to knock up a bridge on the proviso that he would receive the soul of the first person who crossed it. Poor chap. (My local Chamber of Trade would never have allowed THAT deal *smiles*)
But alas the devil never did get his soul because he was tricked by an old lady. Seems she threw some crusty bread onto the newly built bridge, which caused her dog to go after it (who doesn't like crusty bread?) thus making it the first life to cross the 'Devil's Bridge'. What happened then is unknown but I should imagine the fallen angel looked a tad cross and muttering, "curses! Foiled again!" To himself as he walked away soulless.
And there are a lot of other similar tales of Satan, the supposed 'great deceiver' being hoodwinked by some wily mortal (usually an old crone or beggar.) Could it be that the Horned One is not as shrewd as he is made out to be? His wickedness is not in question but be that as it may, Mr Jakes wouldn't fear him in a game or six (six six) of poker.